


Weathering

by grey_minds_alike



Category: Naruto
Genre: Eventual Relationships, F/F, F/M, Hyuuga Clan, I don’t have the brain power to come up with more tags, Kumo Nin - Freeform, Morally Ambiguous Character, OC - Self Insert, Sealing, Slight Grey Original Character, Violence (they’re ninja. They’re not gonna hug each other to death)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 18:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20087035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grey_minds_alike/pseuds/grey_minds_alike
Summary: Weathering: /ˈweðə(r)/-verb (used without object)1 [INTRANSITIVE/TRANSITIVE] if something weathers or is weathered, its appearance changes because of the effects of wind, rain, atmosphere etc.2 [TRANSITIVE] to manage a difficult experience without being seriously harmed. Weather the storm (=come through a time of great difficulty)//Adohira Inazuma aims to survive, and live a satisfactory life to make up for the lousy way she died. How hard can it be?//[MC is determined to get a decent life despite her unsavoury circumstances, and she isn’t above using everything in her arsenal to get it]





	1. Pace Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn, now that’s an embarrassing way to kick the bucket.

Chapter 1: Pace Yourself

_This is one way to go out._ Was one of the many thoughts ambling through the woman’s mind as large tremors and lung raking coughs shook her frame. Her hands and knees held her trembling body weight. Saliva and chunks of the cheesecake she has been previously scoffing down, tumble out of her mouth, leaving a sick mess on the plush rug beneath. Her breath became more errant, sweet air was racing out of her lungs at an alarming rate, but virtually none came back in. Her bumbling heart beats slowed in the woman’s ears, House Hunters continued to play on the television, the indecisive couples’ whinging a faraway hum and a loud ringing all at the same time. 

Her shaky limbs grew weaker and weaker, no oxygen for several minutes does that to a person, coupled with the unsightly panicked choking, really takes it out of fragile human beings. Black spots speckled her vision, breathing was now an even more distant impossibility. 

The woman slumps to the ground in a sweaty air deprived heap. Heartbeat nonexistent. And much to the woman’s displeasure, even in her compromised position, she never got to finish that damned slice of cheesecake, and it was top quality too. 

_Death really does come for free._

Black consumed her vision, leaving her presence to fade out, a fragile flicker of a candle in an obsolete ocean. Disappearing.

-Line break-

Death was, well, death, it will always be there with open arms in the end, no matter the individual’s circumstance. Whether they were fortunate or unfortunate. Religious or atheist. Invincible or vulnerable. There’s a coffin intended for everyone. 

But what surprised the woman the most when she came to pass, was that she never really felt the ultimate all-ending prowess death supposedly possessed. She felt no physical body or negative or positive sensations, all that was present were her numbed awareness of herself and the distant knowledge that she was not the same as she was before. 

Her memories and thoughts ran through her consciousness in a slow but purposeful pace. The woman found it as her only entertainment, in the Before her mind had always been her safe place, a place where she can conduct rude remarks, manifest unrealistic but amusing daydreams, or simply rant about people who’ve pissed her off. This privileged and private access to a deeper part of herself, lead the woman to be confident in herself and her mental processing. 

So now when all she had was her mind, alas numbed, in this strange dark void, she simply retreated internally, it was a place of great comfort and assuredness that she needed to cope with the fact that she just claimed her metaphorical coffin because of her eagerness to consume an unholy amount of cake. It truly was a pathetic death, she could imagine it now, that slab of stone trying to give some lasting dignity despite the fact that she choked on cake. It truly was laughably deplorable. 

The woman was never particularly religious, how could she be when the environment she grew up in placed emphasis on living a fulfilling life for oneself that is healthy and self satisfactory. So if a religion was what made you happy, then you should embrace it. However this ideology to the woman has one simple flaw, that she, herself, has just accidentally found. 

One cannot live a fulfilling life if that life was cut short because you punched cake down your throat at a rate that would make choking inevitable. 

A wedge of distaste made itself known to the woman. She couldn’t live happily if she died so damn early. What was the point of clawing her way through more than two decades worth of education and grey career, with nothing but her dedication to get out of there and live for herself in her own way and truckload of ass kissing. The woman sighed, or at least, as close to a sigh as a disembodied conscious soul manifestation thing could get. 

-Line break-

The woman jolted out of her internal reverie when she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a simple thing, one that human beings crave above other sensations, perhaps due to the constant pumping of blood through our veins. 

And the phenomenon that the woman felt seeping into the swirl of her existence was uncomplicated and distinct.

It was warmth. 

Comforting. Stable. Reassuring. 

In its absence, and all other physically sourced sensations, the woman had clung to previous experiences to keep her afloat in the unbiased abyss. But now she had something new to cling to, a solid presence of warmth to be her lifeline in the ocean like void. 

And for that she was content. 

-Line break-

Time passed, and as it did, the woman noticed things that accompanied the warmth. It was noise. The first sound that aroused the woman from her floating state was loud and obnoxious. It gurgled and rumbled in an unpleasant way that left the woman fuming. Who dares disturb her ‘sleep’?! But as time progressed more and more, one sound became more distinguished above all other irritating echoes. 

It was the steady thump of a heart. Rhythmic and wonderful, a universal sign that indicated life. Life. Something the woman had missed out because of her own stupidity. 

The realisation that the woman was inside a womb was gradual over the last few months from when she was conceived. And because of the gradual build up, it really wasn’t that shocking. But what was a surprise was the fact that she was reincarnated (Reborn? Rebirth? …. Reliving?) with her memories of a previous existence still intact. This phenomenon would have sent philosophers in the Before nuts. 

Nonetheless, the woman fell back into her floating meditative state, allowing her mind to wander memories and past experiences at a sedate pace. Trying to prevent assumptions of what her new life will be like. By squashing these notions and lowering her standards, the woman concludes that at least this way, she can be somewhat content to finally live an existence that she will find satisfying. 

And she vows not to touch any sort of cake. Ever.


	2. Well Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ado-chan realises the situation she’s in.

Chapter 2: Well Shit

Birth was an ordeal for the woman. Being suddenly thrown out by her landlady’s contractions was most definitely uncomfortable. Her head and limbs had been squeezed in order to… well, it really wasn’t something she wanted to revisit. 

The woman had never been so grateful as she was when she got her first few lungfuls of air, it was cold, relieving and freeing. God, she will now have a deep respect and appreciation for oxygen indefinitely. 

The people, in what she would assume to be doctors, rubbed her down in rough towels and bundled her up in several layers, then placed her down. The deep thumping heartbeat penetrated her ears once again. Warmth shimmied it’s way into her bones and flesh. The woman opened her eyes slightly, squinting at the starch fluorescent lights, a blurry figure gazed back at her, lips curving upwards.

-Line break-

Life as an infant was dull. It was repetitive. Sleep, eat (no context needed there), and surprisingly relaxing. This mundane and simple cycle suited the woman just fine, if anything this predictable schedule was soothing as if she had some semblance of control. 

The woman really didn’t know how to be an infant. As odd as it sounded. So she did her best to be complacent and easy-going. Only alerting her caregiver with her cries when it was necessary. 

But after months of infanthood, the woman noticed several things and thus came to some relatively important conclusions. 

First and foremost, the woman finally found out her name in this lifetime. Adohira Inazuma. Whilst a mouthful, the woman did not mind it one bit. The language her mother spoke was Japanese, and she knew it was going to be a bitch to learn. But it would explain the name she’d received. 

At about four months, Adohira’s eyesight began to develop properly. Before, her caregiver was a mere blurred out figure. But now with her growth, she progressed enough to make out and comprehend her caregivers’ features. 

Her mother was young, early twenties, if Adohira had to guess. Her hair reached her waist, it’s deep walnut hues would sometimes catch the light in the early morning, announcing tawny streaks. Her hands were soft but worn, experienced and well coordinated. They handled Adohira with care and love, and always attentive to her needs. Her footsteps were always silent.

Imagine the infant’s surprise when she witnessed clearly her mother’s face, unobstructed by the underdevelopment of a new-born's sight for the first time. Low and behold, her mother had a single milky white iris, the pupil barely visible as it was a slight grey. Only her left eye was present. Her right was covered discreetly with immaculate bandages, wrapped with neatness. The young woman’s hair parted to the left, tendrils of hair swept across her forehead to be pinned carefully behind her right ear. Her gaze was gentle, everything about her mother was gentle. From her hands, her movements, and her expressions; alas with an underlying precision and steadiness. 

The traits that Adohira noticed in her mother were hauntingly familiar, an inkling perched in the back of her mind, but it felt too unlikely. So Adohira left it. She would appreciate how soft and sweet-tempered her mother was. The underlying strength that wraps it’s way through her unfaltering yet kind-hearted movements, enhanced the warmth and growing love she had for the dedicated and caring woman. So Adohira would hold off on a potential conclusion, until further evidence showed itself to hers. For now the girl was content basting in her mother’s devotion and unconditional affection. 

Adohira didn’t fail to notice other people coming and going from their modest home. The individuals came and went every week or so, and more than happily give Adohira praise filled coos and what she guessed were compliments on her cute appearance. Not that Adohira minded, in fact the attention was quite flattering.

No, what earned the infants curiosity was the fact her mother and the other people would pour over countless sheets of paper. Words spoken animatedly and keen, her mother’s voice decisive and sure, but always gentle. 

-Line break-

But it wasn’t for another week that Adohira finally met her father. 

It was about mid morning, the howling winds batter the Inazuma household. Fat raindrops cling to the window panes for dear life. Adohira’s mother tidied the kitchen after a late breakfast, Adohira herself is nestled in a mountain of pillows and blankets on the floor in the living room, enchanted by the rough weather outside. The leaden clouds hung thick, the odd flash of light and rumbling made itself known with regular intervals. 

Her mother made her way toward the front door, her steps silent and sure, and opening it. From Adohira’s faux throne of plush comfort, she saw her mother lead a figure into the living room. 

It stood a head taller than her mother. It...no he. He wore an army green vest, black pants and a bandanna wrapped around his forehead. His saturated clothes dripped water onto the living room floor. Mud covered his uniform, adding to his worn appearance. In which did little to maintain the unruly mass of spiky white hair from its natural unkempt state, it too had mud coating parts of it. His skin was a rich coffee hue, a stark but mesmerising contrast to his hair. The man's cerulean eyes held nothing but profound and timeless affection for Adohira’s mother, he placed his large hands on her waist and pecked her forehead. 

Then he turned to Adohira, who was still propped up on her vantage point of downy pillows and warm blankets, and his eyes widened, before tears and an easy smile graced his face. And before she knew it, the man was crouched over her, his thumb softly grazing her cheek, clumsy but excited foreign words tumbled from his mouth. Adohira looked up to meet his gaze, when something caught her eye.

On his bandanna, stitched into the navy cloth is a metal plate, engraved on it is a swirl reminiscent of leaf. And everything around Adohira seemingly became silent and still, as if she were pulled underwater and the people -no… her parents- were behind a thick sheet of glass. The howling storm outside and the man’s blubbering became distant. Standstill detachment.

Then it clicked. Her mother’s pearly gaze and silent but steady movements. The man’s - her father’s- forehead protector and vest, with the intricate swirl synonymous to Village Hidden in the Leaves. 

_‘Well shit.'_ She’d been reborn into motherfucking Naruto. 

Adohira’s internal distress became known to her parents by her sudden wailing and bawling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep so second chapter. Comments give any author life, so feel free to leave one.
> 
> Edit: 24/7/2020. Fixed any inconsistencies/grammar.


	3. Slippery Slope Of Parenthood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adohira meets her maker, literally.

Koji Inazuma was ecstatic to get back to the village, in his internal fanfare he momentarily forgot to keep his feet sticking to the trees thick mass. And slipped. A common occurrence his squad was accustomed to. Righting himself, he leapt back into the canopy rejoining his snickering squad mates, however with the addition of slimy mud to his already soaked uniform. His team snorted harder, so Koji did what any dignified captain would do. He zapped in front of each individual and wiped his muddy hands over their faces and dashed ahead whilst flipping them off. It’s not as though they could match his speed, even worn and exhausted from the ceaseless frontlines, his pace was consistent enough to keep ahead and avoid his squad’s retaliation.

The downpour felt never ending. Whilst Koji held no dislike for the thunder and lightning, he did for the persistent rain. That. Would. Not. Stop. Did the weather ever consider how difficult it was to manage his unruly mane inside the violent squalls? There truly was no respect. 

The looming village gates made themselves known, sparking relief and complacent within Koji’s gut. He smiled ruefully at the thought of his wife and child waiting for him. And also a shower. He looked forward to that as well as a decent mattress. 

The guards at the gate looked miserable but alert. Who wouldn’t be in these shocking conditions? Koji quickly completed the paperwork, him and his squad flashing their Identification Numbers automatically. And soon they were making their way to the Hokage's office. Reinforced rooftops allowed for easier movement across the village. It was a good thing, in Koji’s shared universal opinion, that the Niidiame considered all the aspects of a shinobi’s life.

If it wasn’t war, Koji would be home to see his young family, but alas a verbal report took priority. And a written one will be filed in the morning.

His squad entered the Hokage's Office, papers were scattered around the old man’s desk, the smoke from his pipe wafted in the air. He gazed up at from his comfy seat behind his cluttered workspace to Koji and his squad, raising a questioning brow.

Confusion flickered across Koji’s expression. What was the old oaf on about? Then he realised the atypical amount of mud coating his uniform. And the peculiar muddy hand prints and clumps of muck clinging to his squads’ faces, hair and uniform. It was a mess. At least it covered any week-old blood spatters. 

“You’re dirtying my floor,” Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up.

“It could use some redecorating. Make it match the state of your desk,” Koji replied without hesitation, tone light and smooth. To support his point, gravity encouraged a nasty looking clump of muck to slide down from Koji’s shoulder and splat onto the once clean office floor. 

A beat of silence and a sigh. “Report.”

“Right, sorry. Mission success. Lightning forces were indeed confirmed to have been encroaching on our own, specifically our supplies route and medic nin station bordering . So my squad split up and dealt with it accordingly. Didn’t know what hit ‘em.”

“‘Dealt with accordingly’?”

“Yep”

“Koji-san, expand on that please.”

“Sure. We laced one of my wide-range fog jutsu, with a larger amount of Yin chakra both gathered by myself and Hagane-kun. Hagane-kun upheld the fog, whilst Hiro-san projected a wide-spread genjutsu that did stuff-“

“It did more than stuff, you moron. It disoriented the enemies- subtle but effective. The high concentrated Yin Fog, allowed for easier conduction and wider area affected genjutsu,” Hiro Uchiha interrupted, addressing his Squad Commander, reprimanding in tone.

“Yeah, and that’s still stuff. Then Kai-kun added a vertigo inducing genjutsu. Whilst they were holding them down with multiple layers of genjutsu, incapacitating the enemies, I zapped through the enemies planting a few explosion tags. The massive ones, yeah? And boom.” 

“Interesting strategy as always”, Hiruzen muttered to himself, contemplating a third cup of coffee that morning. Perhaps with a dash of sake too, who knows, it could help him tolerate the massive piles of paperwork that’s yet to be done. “Alright, I want a written mission report in the morning. Have some time off, get checked out if need be. Dismissed”

Koji bowed sluggishly and left the Hokage’s office, bidding his squadmates farewell, aching to get home to his wife and child. 

Arriving at the front door, he didn’t even knock before his sweet but deadly wife opened the door. Mina Hyuuga. Happiness bloomed in his chest and butterflies swelled and dissipated as he absorbed the sight of her. It really had been four months too long. But that’s the responsibility of having mastered such battle prowess as Koji had, earning his deserved respect and high placement in the bingo books. 

Led inside by Mina, Koji pecked her forehead. He would hug her in an instant, if he were not covered in mud and several months worth of filth. Last thing he wants is to face his Goddess’ wrath. A ghost of a shiver ran down his spine at the possibility. So he just settled his large hands on her waist. 

“You were gone for too long,” Mina stated softly. 

“I know, I know,'' Koji smiled warmly at his wife.

“Adohira’s watching you. You should go say hello, then clean up. You smell revolting.”

Koji choked at his wife’s brutal honesty, a key aspect to her charm. 

He turned toward the living room, his cobalt gaze locked onto the small curious figure, snuggled comfortably in a throne of pillows and blankets. Koji subconsciously Spark Stepped towards his adorable daughter. She mirrored his darkly hued skin and the same expressive eyes, giving a look of innocent fascination, despite being the same base of milky white as Mina’s, her own had a teal tinge. A wild top of deep chocolate sat atop her head. 

A gasp escaped Koji as he witnessed the newest addition to his and Mina’s family. An easy grin naturally slipped into existence as tears ran down his face. A shaky hand gently grazed his daughter’s cheek. “Hello. God, God l-look at yo-you. Been, been a-a, awhile, hu-huh?”

Then little Adohira burst into unexpected tears. Her wails make Koji jump back in confusion and guilt. 

“Oh no, Ado-chan. It’s okay.” Mina hushes, cradling and carefully rocking the infant. “Perhaps it was your disgusting appearance that put her off?”

“Four months moving around on the frontlines, destroying Iwa bastards, so I could return home. Just to terrify my daughter.” Koji despairs, a metaphoric cloud of melancholy hangs over him. Shoulders slumped. 

“Go clean up, I’ll calm her down for a sleep. And you and I can catch up.” Mischief dancing in her laconic expression not going amiss by Koji.

Koji perks up at hearing this, and races to the bathroom, taking care not to brush against the wall and keep the mess to himself, wary of his wife’s expertly hidden ruthlessness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah! Another chapter. Enjoy. 
> 
> Edit: 24/07/2020. Fixed inaccuracies in the timeline/grammar.


	4. Second Life Crisis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adohira ruminates on her situation.
> 
> And it seems Koji’s cooking is as vulgar as its capacity to twitch.

Adohira felt better after her nap. She won’t ever complain about them in this life ever again, as she had much bigger things to worry about.

Like being reincarnated as an infant in a shit hole where it’s normal to see humans walking upside from the ceiling using nothing but the whimsical energy apparently floating around in people and nature. 

What an acid trip.

Memories about the anime were fuzzy as is. She didn’t even know where in the timeline she ended up. Adohira watched the anime up until around the fourth shinobi war… then she became occupied by something else. 

Okay. Calm. In, out. In, out. She had an embarrassingly pathetic death and it doesn’t deserve an encore. So the best way to avoid that? Don’t scoff cake at an inhuman rate, and make the best out of the situation that was thrown at her. To live a life she would be proud to have lived, perhaps even for bragging material in the afterlife. If there was such a thing. 

The ancient Greeks were accurate in their belief that the soul is the life giving force that animates an individual’s body. And the fact that Adohira’s remembers aspects of the Before supports Locke’s wacky proposition that the continuity conscious is tied to the soul. Who’d have thought. 

Why was she reborn? Adohira was clueless. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Shut up, saddle that bitch and ride into the sunset. 

Now, the best way to survive this Naruto hellhole? 

Obtain strength. Although it sounded simple enough, Adohira knew it was going to be a challenge. Perhaps it did help that both her parents were ninja, or at least had knowledge about the occupation. Adohira could probably start to attune herself with her new body, like moving around as much as she can to work her muscles and maybe meditate to try and accustom herself with the concept of having chakra. The fact that her mother had the Byakugan, means there’s a high chance that Adohira inherited it. Her father’s starch hair and chocolate skin leads her to believe he has Lightning Country origins, so maybe a lighting nature? Nonetheless, the rebirth situation could be much worse. Like being an Uchiha. Yeah, no thanks. 

But then there’s the moral dilemma of killing for a living. Adohira was surprisingly okay with the hangdog presence of death, and being the catalyst for it. She had died herself, and whilst experiencing death was a horrible, she’s had a lot of time to   
process it whilst she was in her temporary floating state she nicknamed the Void. Death is life’s parent, cleaning up the mess it leaves behind. And as morbid as it sounded, Adohira’s liked the simplicity and finality of death. 

But she was an anomaly that managed to snag another chance at life and she wasn’t going to fuck it up like last time, and encouraging her demise to rock up early. Although being in the Naruto realm contradicts her goal, her life will take priority over others, like hell she was gonna go out easy. 

Adohira’s forbearance with death gave her a unique inwardness with it, so it didn't phase her as much as it would have someone else from the Before. Additionally, working as a forensic pathologist desensitised her to the vulgar bodies she had to be intimately familiar with, to allow her to analyse and break down their cause of death; and to testify at court cases if need be. And, as off putting as it was to some people, Adohira herself found it all too interesting. It was like watching one of those medical documentaries with gruesome imagery, but one would continue through because of the deeply ingrained curiosity all humans harbour. 

Similarly, Adohira found the darker truths and tendencies of human life fascinating, which had previously urged her to pursue a career as a forensic photographer in the Before. Death hadn’t been feared in her family life either, if anything her family had similar career choices (coroner, ER nurse, veterinarian) as herself, leading them to also get chummy with the idea of death. Or at least accept that it was a possibility.

In turn, her family never clung to a particular belief system but rather normalised the concept that life is valuable and unpredictable, and for that reason, you must make decisions wisely and live your best existence.

Next, what’s the best way to avoid complicated Naruto bullshit? Actively evade it. Canon characters were trouble magnets. It would be inevitable to meet some, such as whatever Hokage hadn’t kicked the bucket yet. All Adohira had to do was keep a respectable distance, and don’t poke anything with a stick. Live a decent life and try not to die young. 

But keep tabs on things, information was going to be vital to survive this mess. Hell, learning the language is a must. You can’t absorb information if you can’t understand it. 

Relief sank deep into Adohira’s bones. She had a plan. Broad and sketchy. And will probably change a fair bit overtime. But it’s a plan. 

Survive and indulge in a life worth living. That is, if she doesn’t end belly up.

-Line break-

Mina Hyuuga blanched at the scene in front of her, barely contained aggravation and vexation shook her form, eye twitching in disbelief. Killer Intent leaked into the atmosphere and everything came to a standstill.

There her husband stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen. Miscellaneous ingredients littered the countertops. And the floor. And the walls. And the.. Mina squinted. Surely not. Yep, and the ceiling. 

Koji slowly turned around, his eyes wide and fearful, placating to Mina, “Dear, you’re freaky eye thing is on…”

Exhaling through her nose, closing eyes in exasperation, Byakugan deactivating. Her voice was deadly and sharp, through clenched teeth. “Explain”. 

“I wanted to make breakfast for you and Ado-chan. But it wasn’t as easy as I had expected...?” He trailed off.

“What did we agree on concerning your… culinary explorations?”

“That until I can boil rice without it catching on fire, I can’t step foot in the kitchen,'' he huffed quietly, guilt lacing his voice, “I’m sorry”.

Mina nodded, satisfied. And instructed Koji to clean up the mess, whilst she prepared Ado-chan and herself for the day. 

Koji’s gesture to cook was sweet, but the results of his efforts are always inedible. There was no way in hell she was going to eat her husband's cooking. Last time he attempted dinner as a surprise for their second anniversary, the meal had twitched. Mina shuddered at the memory. It was a miracle the moron managed himself on missions sometimes. 

Eating out for the morning sounds like a bright idea. At least it wouldn’t spasm like Koji’s abominations.

-Line break-

The modest Inazuma family were returning from a small café, and Adohira was quite content with being tucked into her mother’s sling. The trip had been a blur, and she was still far too young to eat solids, it was then a nice outing to spend with her odd parents. And she was complacent with sleeping, being an infant meant there are few hours to spare to be awake. 

The sky was cloudy, and the wind briskly swept through the giant Hashirama trees and quaint streets. Adohira opened her eyes, and gazed upward, and witnessed something that gave way to wasps of unease in her stomach. 

Those massive Hokage faces painstakingly carved into the cliff face within the anime? Well, Adohira from her bundle could see them, albeit hazy, they were there. All three of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! And thank you for reading. I found out the other day that the human body contains enough fat to make seven bars of soap.


	5. Spirit Juice And Antics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter with chakra and first words.

It has been about seven months since Adohira’s rebirth, and her motor skills have increased greatly. She’s able to support her body weight and move her limbs and fingers more effectively. She regularly clenches and unclenches her muscles in her legs, hands, and abdominals (mostly by sitting up, similar to a half sit-up). She’s also developed a way to move around without having to crawl, since crawling wouldn’t be happening for another month or so, to say her parents were amused was an understatement. To witness their seven month old daughter rolling to get to particular toys or blankets was definitely unique. 

But one thing that Adohira despised was teething. Teething was a total bitch. Bony protrusions emerging from sensitive gums were _painful_. Teething toys helped greatly, and Adohira went through them full throttle. 

She also managed to locate her chakra, well sort of. That was just it, she found it and could feel it, but couldn’t actually manipulate it in any meaningful way. 

It was a surreal encounter, something completely unlike anything in the Before. 

Adohira had been put down for the night in her crib, snuggled with countless stuffed animals. She had closed her eyes and calmed her breathing into a box formation she remembered learning in the Before, used to calm people down and create a steady breathing rate. In, two, three four. Hold, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. A figurative square, if you will. After several minutes, Adohira began to search for something. What, exactly? She had no fucking clue. How does one find the magic energy used to summon massive animals and breathe fire like no one’s business? 

Some time had passed, and the infant felt (Saw? Got vibes?)... a substance? It was warm and flexible and just sort of hovering there… inside her? _That didn’t sound weird at all._

But what was strange was that there were two different vibes she got from the substance. One felt light and expressive, smooth and facile. But with a sense of underlying lucidity. It was the majority present, overruling the other with it’s quantity. The other was denser, supportive and grounding. As if it were there to set and establish the first vibe. Whilst the first vibe helped manipulate the second vibe to be more ductile. _Spiritual and physical chakra._

She tried to influence and direct the chakra to move, it wavered a tiny amount, but stayed unbiased. She tried again and again, and each time it would flutter and whiffle, but it would. Just. Not. Listen!

_Well, that’s enough for tonight._

-Line break-

Koji and Mina simultaneously agree that their daughter is a bit strange and extremely curious. Her eyes would follow them around the room, she would always be moving her limbs in purposeful movements, and she loved it when they read to her. And the infant would attempt to replicate the hyperbolic they used to voice the story’s characters. However all the sounds that came out of her mouth were incoherent babbling and jargon. It was strange the way she interacted with them and with her surroundings. It all seemed… intentional. Not just the typical clumsy bumbling childlike mannerisms and curiosity you would see in other children. No. Their Adohira seems a bit… offbeat. Peculiar. Unique. But they shrugged it off, their odd daughter was healthy, and for that they were grateful. 

At least she didn’t cry needlessly through the night, and several hours of restful was almost always guaranteed.

-Line break-

On a particularly lazy morning, Koji was minding little Ado-chan whilst his wife popped in for a visit to her bakery to check how things were going and smooth over any problems that may have arisen.

He decided to attach Ado-chan to his chest with a strange strap contraption (he had no idea what it’s actual name was). It was time for some father daughter hands free bonding time. He grinned, with Ado-chan safely strapped in, he left through the front door, making his way over to Intelligence. He needed to hand in some paperwork. Oh, and that and that scroll he found on an Ame nin sometime back, into Cryptology. He probably should’ve done that as soon as he arrived home from his most recent mission. 

It must have slipped his mind in his eagerness to spend time with his little Ado-chan. He ran an absent hand over her fluffy brown hair. Missions were vital to the village but it also kept him away from his family. It was key that children form strong attachments to significant figures in their life early on. 

Or so he had been told by a few of his teammates with children of their own. 

Scaling some near-by buildings, Koji swiftly traveled to the Intelligence HQ. Entering, he greets the receptionist briefly, and any other loitering ninja, with a smile, and makes his way over to the Intelligence Head’s office. 

Standing around the desk were a few other figures of relative importance. The so-to-be Head of the Nara Clan, Shikaku, slouched lazily, peering over Inoichi’s shoulder. Yuan Senki, Cryptology’s head, gazed seriously at the notes on Yamanaka's desk. A few other people stood around in the office, but Koji paid them no heed. 

Knocking on the door frame, Koji entered the office, if only to be polite, and greeted the others with an easy smile, paperwork in hand. “Glad I was able to catch you all in one place”. 

“Koji-san. You actually completed paperwork without me harassing you for it?” Inoichi jokes, crows feet at the corners of his eyes. 

“Don’t sound so surprised. I’m a responsible parent now.”

“Yeah? So what’s your little girls name, eh?” Inoichi raised a questioning brow pointedly at the seven month old infant casually hanging from her father’s baby carrier. 

“Gents, this is Adohira Inazuma. My sweet little girl. Ado-chan. say ‘hi’!” Koji gushed amd waving his daughter’s hand, before realising that he has yet to give Yuan the scroll from the Ame nin. “Hey, Yuan. I have this wacky scroll I… collected from an Ame nin a week ago. It has a bunch of strange characters that seem to be some sort of code. That stuff goes over my head, so you may as well take it”. 

Yuan took the scroll, briefly examining the contents. His eyes bulged, before handing it over to Nara and Yamanaka to read. The two mirrored Yuan’s previous expressions. Koji had a dreaded feeling, the same one he gets when Mina reprimands him for being ‘feebleminded’. 

“I can’t believe it,'' Yuan rubs the bridge of his nose. 

“What is it? What’s wrong with the scroll?”

Shikaku gives Koji a level stare and drawls, “Ame’s created a new coding format and we have yet to decipher it, it’s rarely used in the field. This scroll contains passages that would’ve sped up deciphering.” 

“Sorry?” Koji attempts. 

Shikaku hummed, brows heavily set. “Let’s hope Adohira-chan takes more after her mother than you, eh?”

Koji chuckled sheepishly. “That might be for the best. Well, here’s the paperwork.” He makes to place the pile of paperwork on Inoichi’s desk, but stumbles, and the papers scattered around the office, nobody moves, shocked that such a renowned shinobi would do something so careless, not once but twice in a row. “Ah, shit.” Koji sighs, making to go pick up the documents, the other men about to give him a hand.

(Meanwhile, Adohira’s eyes widened. She may not have watched a ton of Japanese anime in the Before, but she watched enough to pick some of the profanity. Her father had said shit, kuso. _She couldn’t let this opportunity to troll the old man go to waste_.) 

Before Koji could collect the closest piece of paper, a small voice repeated the cuss word.

Everyone in the office froze, their eyes instantly darted to the young girl strapped to Koji’s chest. Snickering imploded throughout the room. Shoulders shook with barely contained humour. 

All the while, Koji sagged. Disappointment and fear lacing his being as he began to process the implications of what had occurred. “Ado-chan, how could you? Your mother will skin me.”

Shikaku Nara slyly said, “Better hope Mina-san doesn’t hear what you just taught little Ado-chan”. 

Yuan Senki pitched in helpfully, “She’ll have you in the dog house”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. Yeah go me! Please enjoy. And if you notice any grammar/vocabulary mistakes, let me know. Oh, and guess who figured out how to do italics. _Yeah, that’s right I did_.
> 
> Edit:24/07/2020. Fixed grammar and some inaccuracies. added italics to previous chapters.


	6. Progress And Discomposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adohira meets the fam, and not everything is a piece of cake...

Over the next few months, Adohira began to slowly pick up the complicated Japanese sounds and associate them with their characters and meanings, childish story books were often the biggest help for this. And, at eleven months, was able to successfully pronounce several words and pair their meanings together. Her capacity to pick up hiragana and katakana pleased her parents, even if she didn’t know the meanings to the majority of them, but her ability to replicate the sigils on paper were a different story altogether. It looked like chicken scratch. A mess of lines and strokes, and hilariously illegible. And she predicted it will be that way for several more years.

Poking and prodding at her chakra was an out of body experience, the amount present had been slowly increasing, only in minuscule increments. It became slightly easier to influence it, but the concept of actually having chakra was foreign and with the fact it had taken months of gradually interacting with it, to make the energy-like substance sway to her will was incredibly difficult, it was given that meshing with it will continue to be quandary. 

A child’s brain is extraordinarily flexible, its fluidity and elasticity to adapt and learn new information greatly exceeds that of any adult. And for this reason, Adohira surmised that she was able to pick up the language and characters so effectively. And it helped that her parents weren't entirely phased by her linguistic proficiency, and if they seemed put off, they didn’t show it, but simply encouraged Adohira to continue her learning. 

Adohira could stumble her way around the Inazuma household, with the necessary aid of tables and walls. Her constant movement and exploring of the house had her mother driven up the wall, and consistently on the lookout for a vivacious toddler. Her father’s gushing over her animated incursions of the home had Adohira exasperated. How could a man be so enthusiastic about something so simple as a toddler stumbling from one piece of furniture to another?

Oh, that’s right, Adohira was the couple's first child. _The parenting experiment._

But Adohira took it all in stride.

She enjoyed this private existence. It was simple and easygoing. The calm before the shit storm that was to occur. 

People visited every other week to speak with her mother, but Adohira didn’t pay them too much attention, deliberately distracting herself with her toys, they were good to help her build dexterity and familiarise herself with her pudgy body after all. 

However, particular interaction stood out from the rest that occurred a few weeks after her first word incident, and Adohira had found herself looking back on it quite frequently. 

-Line break-

Wind whistled through the massive Hashirama trees that proudly towered over the village. Clouds were sparse, and the atmosphere had been warming in recent months, not that Adohira really paid attention, she was kept indoors most days. 

She and her mother strolled through the populated streets. Civilians clamoured about, lacking the grace her mother always seemed to harbour, her strong silent steps consistent, and Adohira wondered why her mother didn’t use the rooftop ninja highway. Her father did a few weeks ago, would it not be a quicker way to get to whatever destination it was they were traversing to? 

Mina continued on. Adohira noticed the abundant waves and smiles her mother received, several even halted to make small talk and baby talk, respectively. And although it felt degrading to be cooed at by civilians, it’s not like she could do anything about it, swaddled in blankets and tucked into a dark blue sling at her mother’s front.

After a while, the mother-daughter duo arrived at large overbearing gates, traditional climbing hydrangeas crept up the fortified stone and wooden structure, tussling in the biting breeze. Enchanting; softening the domineering walls. 

As they approached, Adohira blinked at the individual dutifully poised just within the confines of the entrance. Upon closer inspection, the individual- man - mirrored her mother’s frosty gaze, the same resolute aristocratic physiognomy, with long dark hair and forehead hidden beneath the metal plate with a Leaf symbol. 

_'A branch member, like her mother.'_

He glanced at her mother in … distaste? _It wasn't subtle either._ However her mother returned the hidden aversion. Words were exchanged between her mother and the man. The conversation was brisk and succinct. And they continued down the broad path beyond the looming wall, leaving the guard in her mother’s deadly wake. 

Adohira’s gut plummeted. 

_The Hyuuga Clan Compound._

-Line break-

Mina tapped on the front door of the traditional house. There was a subtle lack of dust on the external features of the entrance. Immaculate. 

It was one of the many houses within the extensive property of the Hyuuga Clan. The ambience of the Compound was stiff, it has always been that way since she was a child. The traditional architecture and landscaping brought a sense of regality and restraint, inherent even before the foundation of Konoha, reflecting the public attitude of the Hyuuga tersely. 

The door opened after several long moments revealing a middle aged man, his lined face scrunched and his opaque gaze widen at the sight of Mina, then traversed toward the bundle she held tightly and puzzled bewilderment overtook his expression, before reigning in his astonishment, and hesitantly allowing the pair inside. 

Mina removed her shoes, and slipped on the single guest slippers that had been tucked away toward the back of the cabinet that rests perpendicular to the door. The home was as traditional inside as it was without. Smoothed wooden floorboards and pale walls lacking artwork, beside the odd scroll with ornate kanji littering the aging parchment. Dust’s absence seemed prevalent as it was outside. 

“Hisao. Who was that at the doo-“, a woman in her mid forties began but paused at the sight of her unexpected guests, her greying pecan hair, long and straight and cinched at the base of her neck. Her eyes are identical to Mina's. Her stance poised. Regal. Her gaze locked onto Mina, after briefly glazing over the infant in her arms. “Why are you here?” There was a bite to her voice.

“It’s nice to see you too, mother.” Mina replied. The atmosphere was tense, her posture stiff under her mother’s - Maho’s - scrutinising stare. 

Hisao spoke up, “I’ll prepare tea. And we’ll see what our wayward daughter has to say.” Before brusquely making his way to the kitchen. Tea was a necessary component to help tolerate the conversation that was to come. 

Soon steaming tea was placed in front of each individual, save for Adohira who was satisfied with snuggling in her mother’s lap manically slobbering on a teething toy shaped like an avocado. 

Rigidity ridiculed the adults’ frames, even Adohira was on edge. _These wet blankets were are her grandparents._

“Why are you here?” Maho repeats, although she had an inkling as to the reason. 

Mina breathed in deeply, attempting to settle the heaviness in her stomach. “Of course.” She paused. “Mother, father, this is your granddaughter Adohira Inazuma. Say hello, Ado-chan.” 

In turn, Adohira made eye contact with the people across from her, pausing in her pursuit to ease the ache in her gums. She grunted, then returned to her mastication of the battered avocado.

The couple breathed in sharply, and although it was obvious the relationship the infant -_their granddaughter_\- was non-existent, but hearing the words straight from their daughter’s own voice? The steam from the tea felt too hot. The atmosphere too unbending. The spry breeze beyond the simplistic windows too loud. 

Their daughter was reaching out to them. 

Hisao broke the silence. “How… how old is she?”

“Seven months.”

Maho’s steely gaze holds her daughter in contempt, and refuses to soften at the infant. “You’ve yet to explain the reason for your visit.”

“We may not be as close as what we once were, but you’re my parents, and I feel somewhat obligated for you to meet your only grandchild”. Mina’s hands trembled lightly as she held Adohira, a subconscious life line that kept her focused on the conversation. 

“You cut your ties to the Clan many years ago when you _lost_ your eye and,” bitterness spread through Maho’s mouth, “- wedded that mongr-“.

“Mother, refrain from insulting my husband.” Mina’s single eye narrowed. Contempt welled in her gut. “The only reason for my visit was so that the two of you could meet Ado-chan. I have no expectations for us to become a perfect family, nothing of the sort. I feel that you both should meet her, if only once.”

Hisao had stayed quiet throughout the confrontation between his wife and daughter, who’d inherited her mother’s well hidden aggressiveness. A predator garbed in silken materials, no matter how it were to be perceived, elegant or otherwise, a predator still maintains its teeth and claws. Air was thick and leaden. He carefully performed the necessary hand signs to activate his ocular prowess. 

Hisao could recognise the olive branch stretching out from Mina’s unsure voice. 

“She has the visual expression of the Byakugan. There is a high chance she may have the capacity to activate it. The coil schematics associated with the Byakugan are still too underdeveloped to confirm if it has been inherited.” He deactivated his Byakugan.

Silence ensued. 

“The Gentle Fist is an integral component to the Hyuuga. You will need explicit permission from Hyuuga-sama in what is permitted to teach her.” Solidarity filled Hosao’s gaze, he sipped his tea, the steam moistening the tip of his nose. 

He was meeting Mina halfway. His daughter blinked, understanding the implicit meaning behind his clipped words. 

The implications of her father’s words were undoubtedly clear. The Byakugan had always been a coveted Bloodline Limit for countless decades, for a child not of the clan legally to possess the dojutsu will unquestioningly cause controversy within the clan. 

It seemed the stillness around the table allowed for a heavy blanket of muteness to fall over each individual’s thoughts. 

-Line break- 

It seemed the conversation had begun to lag. It’s not like she could understand half of what was being said, besides the odd phrase or word.

Sure she could read the mood and tell that it was mega tense and she could recognise a few words used in the conversation between her mother and grandparents but she really had no clue what they were on about. But she knew for certain her mother was in a state of unease. 

Sick of the room’s aura, Adohira slipped her current favourite teething toy, a halved avocado, from her aching mouth and pelted it across the room. The green toy bounced off the low table and neatly bounced across the table several times, before rolling to a stop in front of her grandmother.

It seems constantly catapulting her toys back home came in handy. 

Nonetheless, it snapped her mother out of her funk, the older woman simply paused. And the old man’s eyes reflect mirth, even if only for a few moments. 

And Adohira radiated in her unfounded success. 

-Line break-

At officially twelve months into her second existence, Adohira was finally a year old. A whole year without being choked out on life. Success. 

Her birthday was a simple affair, herself, her parents, and - surprisingly - her grandparents the only attendees. She was gifted with many story books, hair clips, a stuffed bear, and -_thank the ever loving fuck_ \- more teething toys in the style of kunai and shuriken. _yeah, that's definitely propaganda._

Lunch went smoothly with few hiccups other than the stiff atmosphere between her father and grandparents, it was clear they refrained from conversation unless it was unavoidable. 

Throughout, Adohira came to know her grandfather as an impassive stoic man, his face and voice always hard, but Adohira saw the small streak of softness as he interacted with her. There was no hesitation in the way her picked up the toy she accidentally dropped, or the way he scanned the room for things that shouldn’t be near a baby. 

Her grandmother remained adverse, scowling at Adohira’s father at every interval. Adorhira attempted several times to socialise with the old lady, if only to ease the nervousness her mother was undoubtedly experiencing. 

But then her mother brought out the cake, a single candle lit. 

Adohira unintentionally became solely fixated on the flickering flame. Wax melted gradually, dripping in accordance to gravity. The white frosting ornately piped along the dessert’s edges. 

Blood pumped erratically in her ears, drowning out her parents' encouragement to blow out the candle. Her breath quickened, and her neck felt hot. Her father wafted out the flame for her. The smoke billowing into Adohira’s face. 

“Do you want a slice, Ado-chan?”

The question snapped Adohira out of her haunted state. And she shakily replies:

“No thanks, Ma”.

-Line break-  
She had _frozen at the sight of fucking cake_. It was absurd, _getaway, get away, get away_ replayed like a broken record in her mind. That unadulterated fear was undeniable though. It had been completely involuntary, a response she had no control over. Consuming. She couldn’t… 

Adohira swallowed thickly, a shudder made its way down the back of her neck. 

She couldn’t even look at it and   
think of no air. Suffocation. Smothering. Entrapment. 

Tightness in her throat, chest- _lungs._

Humiliation filled her core.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another one down, and another one down, another chapter uploaded! 
> 
> Enjoy! Con-crit welcomed! 
> 
> Edit: 24/07/2020. mad it better overall + grammar.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look another Si OC Naruto fic. Original, huh? 
> 
> Well I wanted to give it a shot. 
> 
> Comments breathe life into any author so please leave one!


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